COE DEVELOPMENT BANK BEGINS ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN DUBROVNIK

DUBROVNIK, June 18 (Hina) - The Council of Europe Development Bank convened in the southern Adriatic town of Dubrovnik on Monday for the first of its two-day 36th annual closed-door conference. The event has pooled numerous participants, including Council of Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer, the Council's chief director for legal issues, Guy de Vel, the Development Bank's chairman of the board and governor, Kari Nars and Raphael Alomar respectively, and Croatia's Assistant Finance Minister Josip Kulusic and Ambassador Neven Madey. On Tuesday, Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac will speak about economic trends in Croatia. He is also expected to hold talks with Bank representatives. A framework agreement is expected to be signed after the conference for a 10.325 million kuna (approx. $1.2 million) loan for the renovation of a Franciscan monastery in Dubrovnik. On Sunday evening, the participants in the conference held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Zeljka Antunovic. The Council of Europe Development Bank is a socially-oriented multilateral monetary institution. It was established in 1956 and has 35 member-states. (hina) ha